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Just venting

Posted by Frustrated on 12/3/2024, 9:31 am

I work for an HD who got the job because he's been a "good ol boy" and a "team player" for his time as an assistant. I only say that let you know that he absolutely does not have knowledge of any other instruments other than his own. At all. It's not jealousy. I don't want his job, but here's why it's frustrating:
He can't truly offer any help with my band, because he doesn't have the experience or depth of knowledge. I can't send a group for sectionals, because he will turn on the youtube recording and simply have them play along over and over and tell me they did just fine, but then they rejoin the band and still cannot play their parts.
Yesterday he was standing next to a section in the band, trying to help them out. I stopped and worked a few measure with that group he was standing next to (a very small section). I was asking them to play it a certain way and one individual was struggling a little bit. He then tells me "well, if you listen to the recording, it doesn't really play it that way, they kind of do it different". I wanted to pull out what's left of my hair. I don't care about the recording, especially when 90% of what I was asking for is simply what is written in the music with a tiny bit of deviation for stylistic purposes. I know my kids. I know they can do it, but it doesn't serve them well to just water stuff down at the first hint of difficulty.
I love playing new music and making my own musical decisions, but his idea of score study is listening to the exact same video on youtube every morning. I am diligent, persistent and damn good at my job. I wish I worked for someone who is the same or even better.
Please don't tell me "find another job." That's not helpful, and you don't have knowledge the region I am in to know that there isn't much else around. I just wanted to vent and let out the frustration. Thanks.

Re: Just venting

Posted by okay on 12/13/2024, 5:23 pm, in reply to "Just venting"

It's been awhile since I've been on the Yellowboard. I've been tied up doing a lot of other stuff. Seems that the same old, "My head director" posts are still being posted as they were the last time I was on here, two years ago. I don't have an answer for you. All I can say is that I'm glad that I spent the last part of my career working in a small school in a one man gig setting. There were no arguments over how to teach, how to run the program, etc. I'm retired now but, if I went back in I think I'd shoot for another one of those one-man gigs. Seems to give more peace of mind.

Re: Just venting

Posted by Me on 12/3/2024, 10:15 pm, in reply to "Just venting"

Dude, I get it.

I am in a similar situation and am actively trying to find something better. Moving your family is tough, and I don’t know if it’s the right move or not. But after seeing terrible decisions, one after another, it’s hard to see the light. Some people were not meant to teach band or run a program and some of the time, they end up on top for exactly the reasons in your post. They stuck around when all of the others moved on.

Hang in there for now

Re: Just venting

Posted by Me on 12/3/2024, 7:41 pm, in reply to "Just venting"

MANY TIMES assistants don’t give heads the respect they deserve. Earn your stripes and you can have a head position one day. There are WAY too many entitled young directors these days. Tread carefully.

Re: Just venting

Posted by Well... on 12/4/2024, 2:37 pm, in reply to "Re: Just venting"

To be fair, you are working under the assumption that the AD is "young" (the OP didn't specify). There are many assistants who are very experienced former HDs...and they can gripe about the HD as well, especially if the HD is showing signs that they are not capable (or willing) of providing the help needed...and they have the experience and cred to back those complaints up.

Re: Just venting

Posted by OP on 12/4/2024, 12:06 pm, in reply to "Re: Just venting"

Okay, but I already addressed that in my initial post: I don’t want his job. I’m not trying to do anything to him. Just venting out of frustration.

Re: Just venting

Posted by MS on 12/3/2024, 2:56 pm, in reply to "Just venting"

Look inward.

Based on your post, I think it would be beneficial to self reflect and look for purpose.

Also, try to find some positive in your HD, there may be things they are good at that you don't see through your frustration.

Take advantage of those strengths. Ultimately, working as a team is about sharing strengths to manage weaknesses.

Re: Just venting

Posted by BD on 12/4/2024, 1:06 pm, in reply to "Re: Just venting"

Agreed. Some people are not very strong musicians but have other qualities that enable them to have some form of success in the profession. If he hired you then his strength might be in the administrative side of things if he surrounds himself with passionate and capable people such as yourself to be on the band staff. Best wishes.

Re: Just venting

Posted by Also on 12/4/2024, 10:04 am, in reply to "Re: Just venting"

I'm going to add on to this post about looking for the positives in your HD.

There are a LOT of horror stories on here about head directors that don't even bother visiting the other bands, or stay in their office all day. This post talks about him helping a student that was struggling, constantly visiting, constantly looking at his music.

Whether you think he's helping or doing more damage, I'm willing to bet it'd be a lot more frustrating if you had a HD abandoning you.

Re: Just venting

Posted by OP on 12/4/2024, 12:10 pm, in reply to "Re: Just venting"

So that’s the thing: he’s helping now because we’ve had staff meetings about everyone being involved in each class (blanket statement made to address something the other person in staff did), and I politely responded that it should be that way for each class. AND our new admin had been making a point to pop in a lot to see what we are doing. So I have been abandoned by him most of the time. Usually…I prefer that. But I do ask him to specifically help people from time to time, and it’s just not helpful. There have been times when he has even said out loud “eh I think they’re fine”

Re: Just venting

Posted by Then on 12/5/2024, 9:00 am, in reply to "Re: Just venting"

It seems like your admin is pretty involved, which sounds good. I'd say to document then and let your admin handle it from there. At the very least they'll understand your frustrations and what you've done to adapt.

Re: Just venting

Posted by Respectfully on 12/3/2024, 12:37 pm, in reply to "Just venting"

If you don't like the way the HBD does their job, then you *do* need to go find a new one. As much as you don't want to hear it.

Either that, or just let it go and do your best in your classroom in spite of them, not because of them.

Re: Just venting

Posted by OP on 12/4/2024, 8:18 am, in reply to "Re: Just venting"

Yeah I am kind of in that category right now. He is good at the administrative side, but this year he has been falling behind on that and making many questionable choices.
I mostly try to just crush it in my classroom and get my kids to play great, but sometimes he does get in the way of that.

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